Flapper valve



April 15, 1958 A. B. NELSON E1-AL 2,830,302

FLAPPER VALVE Original Filed Dec. lO, 1953 .kl tu l 9 I 47 a (Il M I 2.9 55 .Tf J5 75 'Illlllmmll' fX 5 u y if l Il* Zgyezgfar United States i 2,830,302 y FLAPPER VALVE Axel B. Nelson, Chicago, Edward G. Schmidt, La Grange, and Roy H. Zinkil, Oak Park, lll., assignors toCrane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application December 10, 1953, Serial No.

p 397,456, now Patent No. 2,774,972, dated December 25, 1956. Divided and this application February 7, 1956, serial No. 563,976

4 Claims. (Cl. 4-57) This invention relates generally to valves, and `more particularly, it is applicable to discharge valves for flush tanks or the like. -K

The present application is a division of copending application Serial No. 397,456 filed December 10, 1953, now Patent No. 2,774,972. v

The present invention accordingly is directed to a simple and convenient mode of attachmentand securement of valve members, especially of the'at seating apper type illustrated. More particularly,the present invention avails itself of the button-on arrangement of the parent application, except that the concept presented herein employs post means integral with the closure member and of elastic, deformable material like the extending means of the closure, said post means being insertab-le through apertured means on the outlet portion of the liush tank for instance.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent upon proceeding with the description read in light of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an assembly view of a construction according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout two views.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1, refers to the outlet portion of a water closet ush tank or the like, shown fragmentarily, said portion being pro vided with an outlet opening and including a seat surface around the opening at the upper or inner end thereof and overflow means in lluid communication with the4 outl'et opening. Although not necessary, as will be seen from Figs. l1 and 12 of the'copending application referred to, a separate member 5 is employed in the form illustrated through which the liuid discharging from the tank actually flows and which contains the seat surface of the tank. This member may be the seat member in common use, as shown, modified to some extent for this invention. It should be understood of course that although the outlet member 5 is employed, the seat surface may be integral with the door of the tank and also an integral overow channel may be employed similar to that shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of the parent application.

Further describing the construction shown in the drawing, the outlet member 5 extends through the door of the tank in fluid sealed relation at 7, providing the seat surface extending around the port 13. The side extension 11 of the member is provided with the usual overtiow tube 9 which is in uid communication with the port 13 through the side extension shown.

A apper type of dat seating swingable closure member 25 is provided comprising a closure portion 29 and extending means generally designated 43. A oat element 32 depends from the lower surface of closure portion, being received within the port 13 of the outlet f1tting in the closed valve position as shown. At the front of the closure portion and extending from the upper sur ice face thereof is the raised projection 39 through which the tiexble chain 41 extends for raising the valve closure into the open position.

The extending means 43 is illustrated as comprising spaced arms 45 extending along opposite sides of the overow tube and a rearward crosspiece or bar 47 joining the arms andA passing behind the overflow tube in the mounted position of the closure shown.

Whereas in the Fig. l form for instance, of the parent application, attachment of the closure member was accomplished by means of an upward extension from the outlet fitting or in the Fig. 1l form from the door of the tank which passed through an aperture in the closure member providing a button-on arrangement of the closure onto a special post formation of the extension, the present construction is in general a reversal of this arrangement. A similar stern or` post 84 is provided in the present construction terminating in an enlargement or button'head 85. However, this formation projects from and is integral with the extendingmeans of the closure member, more particularly the cross bar 47 thereof. post formation extends from the lower ilat surface of the said extending means, the enlargement or the button head 85 preferably providing an upper dat surface in spaced relation with the undersurface ofthe extending portion of tb'e closure. I

Preferably the entire closure member but at least a portion of the extending means and the post and button formation should be constructed of resilient, deformable material such as rubber or other similar composition so as to provide exure for swinging movement of the closure member into the open and closed position and also for attachment of the post formation as will be subsequently described.

Cooperating with the post formation is an apertured extension 53 `of the outlet fitting 5 or similar apertured means extending from or integral with any other part of the outlet portion of the flush tank. This extension 53 has opposite upper and lower flat faces for contact by ther undersurface of the cross bar 47 of the' closure member and top of the button head 85. As shown in Fig. l, the stem 84 is wholly received within the aperture 78 and fills the entire space thereof. The enlargement orY button head is beyond the aperture extending over the marginal portion of the apertured member whereby to retain the stem; withinthe aperture and consequently the closure member` in attached mounted relation.

It should be evident that the attachment of the closure member can be quickly and conveniently accomplished by merely placing the enlarged head 85 over the aperture and pressing down on the cross piece 47 so as to force the head through the opening and into engagement with the opposite side of the apertured attachment portion to provide for interlocked relation between the cross piece and apertured portion. The length or the height of the stem 84 exclusive of the head portion or in other words the space between the underside of the extending means of the closure and the top of the enlargement is substantially equal to the thickness of the apertured portion 53 through which the button head is forced. 4'Ihis gives a tight securement of the closure member.

Continuing the description of the present construction, the post formation is of elongated cross or transverse section, the elongation preferably extending later- `ally or in the direction of the crcss bar as shown in Fig.

2. This arrangement prevents rotation of the closure f by its point of attachment whereby to retain said closure l 2,830,302 Patented Apta 15, k1958 This l. In combination'with a water closet; ush tank or` the like having an outlet `opening and a seat .surface around the opening atvthe upper end thereof, a valve e closure `engageable .with the seat surface in the rclosed valve position,said valve closure including hinge means extending therefrom, means for 4attaching said valve closure to said tanksarid attachment Ameansrcomprising stem means projectingfrom vsaid hinge means Yof the valve closure and an `apertured jportion receivingsaid stem means, said stem means passingthroughl the aperture in the apertured portion in the attached relation of the valve closure and substantially filling lthe aperture, enlarged means on said stem Ameans beyond the aperture of the said apertured portion for retaining the stem means withingithe. aperture during .normal operation `of the valve closure, said stem meansfand enlarged .meansl being of elastic material distortable Afor insertion of the `enlarged means through the aperture in-the said apertured portion for retention of the valve closure, said hinge meansvof the valve closure being of flexible material for permitting swinging movement of the valve closureinto the open and closed` positions. i

, 2. ln combination with awater closet `flush tank- `or, the like having an outlet; opening and a seat surface around Vthe Vopening at the upper `end thereof, alvalve` closure engageable with theseat surface in-the` closedY valve position, said valve closure including hinge means extending therefrompmeans for `attaching said valve closure `to 4said' tank, saidv attachment means comprising stem means :projecting from saidhinge means of the valve closure. and an.` apertured portion receiving saidstem means, said hingemeans 4being in contact with` said aper tured portion and the-,stem means passing through` Vthe aperture in the. apertured portion and substantially filling the same in the attachedvrelation of the valve closure,`

said stem` means having enlargedmeans beyond the :iper-f.V

closure, said stem means and enlarged means being of elastic material distortable` for insertion ofthe enlarged means through the said aperture for attachment of the valve closure, said hinge means of the valve closure being of flexible material for etfecting swinging movement of the valve closure into the open andj closed positions.

3. In combination with a water closet ush tank or the like having an out-let opening and a seat surface around the opening at the upper` end thereof, a closure member engageable with the `seatsurface in the closed valve position, said closure `member including hinge means extending therefrom, means for mounting said closure member` to thetank, saidmounting means comprising a single laterally centrally vposition post projecting from a surface of said hinge means', said post Yhaving an enlarged portion spaced from the said surface of the hinge means, said mounting means further `comprising an apertured portion, said post of the closure member being received the aperture in the apertured portion in the mount- Vedaelation of the closure member and substantially filling the same, the enlarged portion of thepost being beyond and overlapping the said aperture for retention of the post within the aperture during normal operation of the valve closure, said post including the enlarged portion being of elastic material distortable for insertion of the enlarged portion through said aperture for mounting of kthe closuremember, said aperture being transversely and symmetically elongated and said post being correspondingly elongated in section thereacross whereby to prevent ,substantial pivoting of the closure member about itsattachment to the apertured portion, said hinge means of the closure member being of liexible material for permitting swinging movement of the closure member intothe open and closed positions, the said post projecting Vin a plane parallel to the swinging movement of the closure member.

4. The subject matter of claim 3, said closure member having a. fiatv seat contacting portion, said hinge means comprising spaced arms and a crossbar at the ends thereture .engaging the marginalpqrtion around` the apertureV whereby. to retain `tl1e-stem` within `the aperture andthe hinge means of the valveclosure] in ycontact with the apertured portion in the attached relationof` they valve,

of opposite the seat contacting portion from which the arms extend, said` single post means projecting from the center of the `crossbar in the lateral direction, all of said seat contacting portion, arms and crossbar being wholly` of .exible .material such aseasily exible rubber.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

